The Lord Is My Light and My Salvation

Of David.

27 The Lord is my (A)light and my (B)salvation;
    (C)whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold[a] of my life;
    of whom shall I be afraid?

When evildoers assail me
    to (D)eat up my flesh,
my adversaries and foes,
    it is they who stumble and fall.

(E)Though an army encamp against me,
    my heart shall not fear;
though war arise against me,
    yet[b] I will be confident.

(F)One thing have I asked of the Lord,
    that will I seek after:
that I may (G)dwell in the house of the Lord
    all the days of my life,
to gaze upon (H)the beauty of the Lord
    and to inquire[c] in his temple.

For he will (I)hide me in his shelter
    in the day of trouble;
he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;
    he will (J)lift me high upon a rock.

And now my (K)head shall be lifted up
    above my enemies all around me,
and I will offer in his tent
    sacrifices with shouts of (L)joy;
(M)I will sing and make melody to the Lord.

(N)Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud;
    be gracious to me and answer me!
You have said, (O)“Seek[d] my face.”
My heart says to you,
    “Your face, Lord, do I seek.”[e]
    (P)Hide not your face from me.
Turn not your servant away in anger,
    O you who have been my help.
Cast me not off; forsake me not,
    (Q)O God of my salvation!
10 For (R)my father and my mother have forsaken me,
    but the Lord will (S)take me in.

11 (T)Teach me your way, O Lord,
    and lead me on (U)a level path
    because of my enemies.
12 (V)Give me not up to the will of my adversaries;
    for (W)false witnesses have risen against me,
    and they (X)breathe out violence.

13 I believe that I shall look[f] upon (Y)the goodness of the Lord
    in (Z)the land of the living!
14 (AA)Wait for the Lord;
    (AB)be strong, and let your heart take courage;
    wait for the Lord!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 27:1 Or refuge
  2. Psalm 27:3 Or in this
  3. Psalm 27:4 Or meditate
  4. Psalm 27:8 The command (seek) is addressed to more than one person
  5. Psalm 27:8 The meaning of the Hebrew verse is uncertain
  6. Psalm 27:13 Other Hebrew manuscripts Oh! Had I not believed that I would look

Davidic

Confidence in the Lord

27 The Lord is my light and my salvation—
    whom will I fear?
The Lord is the strength of my life;
    of whom will I be afraid?

When those who practice evil, my enemies, and my oppressors
    come near me to devour my flesh,
        they stumble and fall.
If an army encamps against me,
    my heart will not fear.
If a war is launched against me,
    I will even trust in that situation.
I have asked one thing from the Lord;
    it is what I really seek:
that I may remain in the Lord’s Temple
    all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the Lord;
    and to inquire in his Temple.

For he will conceal me in his shelter on the day of evil;
    He will hide me in a secluded chamber within his tent;
        He will place me on a high rock.
Now my head will be lifted up above my enemies,
    even those who surround me.
I will sacrifice in his tent with shouts of joy;
    I will sing and make melodies to the Lord.

Hear my voice, Lord, when I cry out!
    Be gracious to me and answer me.
My mind recalls your word,[a]
    “Seek my face,”
        so your face, Lord, I will seek.
Do not hide your face from me;
    do not turn away in anger from your servant.
You have been my help,
    therefore do not abandon or forsake me,
        God of my salvation.
10 Though my father and my mother abandoned me,
    the Lord gathers me up.

11 Teach me your way, Lord,
    and lead me on a level path because of my enemies.
12 Do not hand me over to the desires of my enemies;
    for false witnesses have risen up against me;
        even the one who breathes out violence.
13 I believe that I will see the Lord’s goodness
    in the land of the living.
14 Wait on the Lord.
    Be courageous, and he will strengthen your heart.
        Wait on the Lord!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 27:8 The Heb. lacks your word